Mayella's Testimony
by Rainel Krey
Summary: Based off Harper Lee's novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, this shows Mayella's point of view during her testimony against Tom Robinson. Read and review please, thank you!


**This is based on Harper Lee's book To Kill a Mockingbird and it shows Mayella's testimony in court about how she was attacked. I enjoy looking at other character's point of views and seeing what they could be thinking at that time. Hope you enjoy!**

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Watchin' Papa testify 'gainst Tom. Yea he ain't called no doctor; ain't never gonna call no doctor for me. I ain't like one o' them. I don't gone an' do things like they do. Stupid lawyer, makin' my paw stupid in front of all those people her'; makin' him in an id'ot. Think he's betta than all us folk with all his ed'cation an' all. Just 'cause we poor don't mean we got no sense. He ain't gonna trick me like he trick Papa, I ain't gonna let 'im.

"Mayella Ewell!" this one someone yelled, makin' me jump outta my seat. I done did what my paw did an' raised my hand. "You swear to tell the truth, nothing but the truth, and so help you God?" I just nodded, all I gotta do, no smart aleck answer like my papa had did, an' sit down on the chair.

Mr. Gilmer went on down in front o' me an' started askin' me what happ'nen' an' whatnot. I didn't say nothin' an' did nothin'. I just kinda stared at 'im for some time. He gone an' started askin' me agin', talkin' to me like I go on talkin' to lil' chillun. Was on the porch that's what I was doin'. Which one, the only porch on that house, only porch there ever gonna be. With all that people her' with their ed'cation an' all, why they gotta have a need to ask me questions like that? The big guy next to me, Judge, lookin' down at me an' just tellin' me to tell what happ'nen'. Askin' me if I coulda done all that an' whatnot, like I was somethin' stupid an' can't understand what was happ'nen'. I came from the dump that's why. 'Course I could tell 'em what happ'nen' that night, but I looked up at 'im an' started cryin'. All he wanted was to help me, an' what I say to 'im is to hell with you. But I gotta do this 'fore people start talkin'.

Judge gone now an' stopped me cryin', sayin' I got nuthin' to be scared of long as I tell the truth. Felt Papa lookin' at me yonder where he's sittin' at. Nuthin' I say here gonna be the truth. Was scared of that nigger-lovin' lawyer too. He gonna make me to be stupid like he did Papa, makin' him out left handed. Judge says he gonna stop Finch 'fore he do anythin' but that ain't gonna help. I started tellin' our lawyer what my Papa said to tell 'em:

Was on the porch with the chiffarobe Papa gave me to chop up while he goes down yonder to the woods. That nigger came on walkin' 'round the house an' I just tell him, "Come here, nigger, and bust up this chiffarobe for me, I got a nickel for you." He come to the yard an' I turn 'round to git in the house for the nickel an' 'fore I knew it he got behind me an' grabbed me on my neck, yellin' I was dirt an' cussin' at me, hittin' me agin' an' agin' he did. Chunked me to the floor an' choked me an' took advantage of me.

That's what I done told ev'ryone in that room. Gone an' ask me if I hollered an' all; 'course I did, what girl ain't gonna start hollerin'? Done ask me now what happnen' after all that. Don't remember much, I said, told 'em I fainted an' all. Next thin' I remember was Heck Tate pullin' me offa floor an' lead me to the water bucket. Fought him tooth an' nail I told 'em. Ask me was sure an' all, I said I was. Lyin' to save Papa, to save me, that's what I was doin'; can't live without Papa now, not with the chillun an' all.

Other lawyer, Att'cus Finch, come t'words me now, callin' me "miss" an' smilin'. What he doin' all that for? Mockin' an' disrespectin' me 'cause I'm from the dump. Told 'im off an' said I ain't gonna answer no questions if he keep doin' all that. Looked at me like he was all surprised, like he didn't know what he was doin'. I don't got to take his sass. He's just bein' courteous says the Judge, like hell he was, he was makin' fun of me. Kept askin' me questions an' all 'bout my life. Don't really know why he even needed to know all that.

"Who are your friends?" he sudde'ly ask me. Confusin' me there, makin' me think 'bout what he was askin'. "Just ordinary friends," he kept on sayin'. He still makin' fun of me, that's what he doin'. ain't no one gonna wanta be friends with someone from the dump. Lawyer tryin' to make me look pat'etic an' all; I ain't gotta take that no mo'.

Ask me then if I love my Papa, ask if Papa had done good to me. "He does toll'able, 'cept when," I stop 'cause I kno' I done did somthin' bad. Damn lawyer keeps pushin' though. I look at Papa leanin' t'words me, just waitin' for me to say somethin' bad 'bout 'im, just waitin'. Saw myself gettin' a beatin' after this an' I told 'im nothin'. Papa leaned back down to his seat again.

"Except when he's drinking?" lawyer sudd'nly asked. Words he used was all quiet like an' nice that I nodded. "Does he ever go after you?" Mr. Finch say to me. Was confused agin', he tryin' to trick me. "When he's riled, has he ever beaten you?" He makin' me all scared now. What was I suppose to say? Yea my Pap did beat me but Papa was right there, starin' right at me. I look at ev'ryone yonder in the room 'cept Papa, did not want to be lookin' at him. "My paw's never touched a hair o' my head in my life," I say all hard like, startin' to get all mad agin'. "He never touched me."

That Finch lawyer went on an' said he gonna ask me 'bout the case. Ask me if I know Tom Robinson. 'Course I knew 'im, passed by my house ev'ryday. "Was this the first time you asked him to come inside the fence?" The lawyer done ask me now. The question made me jump a lil' bit outta my chair an' blinked, was all nervous now. "Was—" he went on sayin'. "Yes it was," I just told 'im. Told 'im I never let him in the house 'fore. "You never asked him to do any odds jobs for you before?" Told that I mighta, loads of niggers 'round the dump, but don't remember none.

"You say 'he caught me and choked me and took advantage' of you is that right?" Yea I said, that's what I said didn't I? "Do you remember him beating you around the face?" lawyer asked me. I didn't got no answer. My head was startin' to be messin' up an' all. I done an' tried to think up all clear. I looked at Mr. Gilmer, hopin' he'd stop 'im or say somethin' now. "Do you remember him beating you about the face?" he kept pushin' agin. His voice was all cold an' mean now. "No, I don't recollect if he hit me. I mean yes I do, he hit me," I tell him. "Was your last sentence your answer?" he ask me. "Huh? I just don't remember… it all happened so quick," I done an' messed up now, I sniffed gonna get Papa in trouble now.

"Let her cry," stupid Att'cus said. I sniffed agin', I ain't gonna cry, I ain't gonna please 'im. I glare at 'im, gonna answer all question he got, even with 'im mockin' me an all. "Will you identify the man who raped you?" I pointed to Tom Robinson just sittin' all quite like on his chair, lookin' at me, "That's him yonder." The lawyer Finch gone an' told 'im to stand on up. Saw Tom's left arm a'ight, all messed up an' crippled, kno' what he was tryin' to do, makin' me look like I'm lyin'. My hand started shakin'. "How?" he ask me. I was all confused an' mad, had kno' idea what I'm s'posed to do now. I don't kno' now, I was all scared an' all 'v'rythin' started to feel all cold. Why didn't I run? Well, nuthin' happ'ned that's why, but told 'em I tried to. He slung me down the floor an' I couldn't get up, was 'ven screamin' an' all.

I don't kno' what to say no more. Was scared an' all, lawyer tryin' to make me say what had happ'ned but I ain't talkin'. I hated him, I did. "I got somethin' to say," I tell him, he look at me all in'trested agin'. "I got somthin' to say an' I ain't gonna say no more. That nigger yonder took advantage of me an' if you fine fancy gentlemen don't wanta do nothin' about it then you're all yellow stinkin' cowards, stinkin' cowards, the lot of you. Your fancy airs don't come to nothin'—your ma'amin' and Miss Mayellerin' don't come to nothin' Mr. Finch—" All that made me cry an' all hard now. My body started shakin' an' all. I ain't never hated someone as I hated that damn lawyer. I stopped answerin' nobody's questions now. Left the chair an' looked right at the lawyer as I pass by 'im, made me wanta spit at his face. Thinkin' his betta than me, well I'm done with him, with his head all down an' whatnot, I ain't gotta deal with 'im no more.

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**Hope you had fun with that! Please review!**


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